Why oh why don't schools use textbooks anymore??

[Anonymous]

Can someone (an educator) please tell me why schools have decided not to use textbooks anymore?? (With the exception of math, sometimes). IT just drives me bananas come exam time, and my poor kid is shuffling through various packets and notes on random papers, and . . . . it is hard for me to help her with a study strategy when old school methods (you know, review the source material/textbook) are out the window. Makes it so much harder to get a handle on the universe of material you need to master. BIGGEST PET PEEVE EVER - I'm looking at you, Basis - where there is just a ton of material/concepts covered and no "mother" source to review/turn to for answers.

UGGHHHHH!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone (an educator) please tell me why schools have decided not to use textbooks anymore?? (With the exception of math, sometimes). IT just drives me bananas come exam time, and my poor kid is shuffling through various packets and notes on random papers, and . . . . it is hard for me to help her with a study strategy when old school methods (you know, review the source material/textbook) are out the window. Makes it so much harder to get a handle on the universe of material you need to master. BIGGEST PET PEEVE EVER - I'm looking at you, Basis - where there is just a ton of material/concepts covered and no "mother" source to review/turn to for answers.

UGGHHHHH!!

I'm a Basis parent, I'll back you on that! I wish they had books!

[Anonymous]

Agree. Plus, correct me if I'm wrong, but at the college level text books are still prominent. I don't want my kids heading off to college not understanding how pivotal textbooks are and how to use them (index, glossary, footnotes, etc.). I'm teaching them myself as best I can, but nothing teaches familiarity with textbooks like taking an actual class that uses one.

[Anonymous]

I am with you. I have a kid at DCPS, a kid at Basis and a kid at private... none use text books. Occasionally a workbook, but nothing that shows what they are learning.

Its maddening, especially when they want you to help them study!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone (an educator) please tell me why schools have decided not to use textbooks anymore?? (With the exception of math, sometimes). IT just drives me bananas come exam time, and my poor kid is shuffling through various packets and notes on random papers, and . . . . it is hard for me to help her with a study strategy when old school methods (you know, review the source material/textbook) are out the window. Makes it so much harder to get a handle on the universe of material you need to master. BIGGEST PET PEEVE EVER - I'm looking at you, Basis - where there is just a ton of material/concepts covered and no "mother" source to review/turn to for answers.

UGGHHHHH!!

I'm a Basis parent, I'll back you on that! I wish they had books!

It's EVERYWHERE. And it's awful.

[Anonymous]

This should be a rallying point for parents--to get text books back in the classroom. Energy spent on this rather than arguments over masking is a much more wise use of time and energy.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a teacher, but teachers at my kid's schools have said that the issue is that textbooks become outdated so quickly after they are printed. Putting so much money into a resource that needs to be reprinted/updated frequently is wasteful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This should be a rallying point for parents--to get text books back in the classroom. Energy spent on this rather than arguments over masking is a much more wise use of time and energy.

No, because we're up against the enornmous educational establishment which wants to sell cheap, digital curriculum and very expensive consultants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a teacher, but teachers at my kid's schools have said that the issue is that textbooks become outdated so quickly after they are printed. Putting so much money into a resource that needs to be reprinted/updated frequently is wasteful.

Fine. Have digital textbooks and pay for leasing them and send links to kid school emails and parents can print them out if they want to or look over it on their kids chrimebooks. I want to see the curriculum my kid is taught and strategies and for my kid to learn how to use a reference material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a teacher, but teachers at my kid's schools have said that the issue is that textbooks become outdated so quickly after they are printed. Putting so much money into a resource that needs to be reprinted/updated frequently is wasteful.

That's baloney. I'm pretty sure time moved as fast from 1950-2010. I'm also sure math, foreign language, and all sciences are not moving at such a rapid pace. The only area I can image that being true is history/social studies. And even that is nutty. And you can't tell me printing out sheet upon sheet during the year is really producing less waste than a single textbook.

[Anonymous]

It's complicated, but textbook publishing is kind of a boondoggle, they update textbooks every 3-4 years to get repeat sales, and the books are very expensive. In college or private school, students buy them directly. In public school, the school is supposed to purchase them. And of course students tend to lose books or destroy them, not like before, when we used to use same textbook for as kids 10 years prior, and everyone had to use book covers, and wasn't allowed to write on them.

But, like, the way that we present and assimilate information has changed too, so I'm not even sure textbooks are as useful as they used to be anyway.

Kind of like handwriting. I don't think it's ever really coming back in a way that it was taught before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's complicated, but textbook publishing is kind of a boondoggle, they update textbooks every 3-4 years to get repeat sales, and the books are very expensive. In college or private school, students buy them directly. In public school, the school is supposed to purchase them. And of course students tend to lose books or destroy them, not like before, when we used to use same textbook for as kids 10 years prior, and everyone had to use book covers, and wasn't allowed to write on them.

But, like, the way that we present and assimilate information has changed too, so I'm not even sure textbooks are as useful as they used to be anyway.

Kind of like handwriting. I don't think it's ever really coming back in a way that it was taught before.

Well, a syllabus or something would be helpful. There's clearly an expectation of having parents assist, but how can we help if we don't know what's being taught? Additionaly, this isn't awesome for younger kids or ADHD kids who struggle to organize all the random parts that come their way.

PS- I HATE quizlet.

[Anonymous]

I agree that it’s a loss to have no textbooks. It’s really hard for students to see the scope and structure of a subject when it’s a bunch of piecemeal handouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a teacher, but teachers at my kid's schools have said that the issue is that textbooks become outdated so quickly after they are printed. Putting so much money into a resource that needs to be reprinted/updated frequently is wasteful.

That's baloney. I'm pretty sure time moved as fast from 1950-2010. I'm also sure math, foreign language, and all sciences are not moving at such a rapid pace. The only area I can image that being true is history/social studies. And even that is nutty. And you can't tell me printing out sheet upon sheet during the year is really producing less waste than a single textbook.

+1 that sounds like BS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a teacher, but teachers at my kid's schools have said that the issue is that textbooks become outdated so quickly after they are printed. Putting so much money into a resource that needs to be reprinted/updated frequently is wasteful.

That's baloney. I'm pretty sure time moved as fast from 1950-2010. I'm also sure math, foreign language, and all sciences are not moving at such a rapid pace. The only area I can image that being true is history/social studies. And even that is nutty. And you can't tell me printing out sheet upon sheet during the year is really producing less waste than a single textbook.

+1 that sounds like BS

Also, printing has gotten far cheaper year after year.